The report of Chevy's death is an exaggeration

General Motors is emblematic of bailout angst. They're not going to be more hated by dropping a loved brand name. They're already at the bottom. However, by threatening to kill Chevy, they can make Chevy fans rally around the Chevy brand. They'll take Chevy's side to protect it from being crushed by big, bad GM.

That's my opinion. On the other hand, maybe they're not faking it. Maybe they're serious. Or maybe, if they know GM isn't going to turn the corner anyway, why not just step on the gas, blow through the guard rail, and crash fantastically over the edge of the cliff in a meteoric blaze?